Production vs Recording
Are you an up-and-coming artist or band, looking to take your music to the next level? You’ve probably heard about music recording studios and music production services and may be wondering what the difference is between the two. In this article, we’ll explain the advantages of hiring a recording studio and music production service so that you can make an informed decision about which is the best fit for you.
Recording Studio Vs Music Production Service
A recording studio is a physical space that is acoustically designed for recording audio. It generally consists of:
a “control room” where the engineer operates the mixing console and other professional-grade equipment, such as Equalisers (EQs), Compressors and Effects Units such as reverbs and delays.
Other rooms include: the “live room” where drums, guitars, bass, piano / keyboards and other instruments set up to record; the vocal booth, which is acoustically treated and isolated from the live room to prevent instrument leakage on the vocal track; amp cabinet rooms which again isolates the sound of guitar and bass instruments so they do not leak into drum mics, making it easier to manipulate sounds in post-production.
Recording studios generally carry an array of microphone choices for vocals and instruments, which when recorded through pre-amps from companies like Neve, UAD and Manley, if the recorded sound its unique characteristics.
Recording Studios are often chosen by artists and bands because they like or want to achieve a certain sound that the the studio has, especially when when it comes to recording drums. The key factors that go into “the sound” include the acoustic aspects of the “live room”, the mics used to record the sound, the console used to record the sound (eg Neve, SSL, Trident etc), and the experience of the audio engineer to capture thee sound, using their previous experience of recording in that room, mic placement, how the band plays sounds in that room (never trust an engineer who does not come into the live room to listen to the sound!), and their ability to use the recording equipment to set the frequency, dynamic and spatial effects to capture the sound.
Check out the clip below from the “Sound City” documentary, where bands like Fleetwood Mac and the Foo Fighters discuss the importance of a great sounding live room to get a great drum sound.
Essentially, recording studios also provide a controlled environment, allowing artists to achieve the best sound possible. Finally, recording studios often employ experienced audio engineers, who can help guide artists through the recording process.
On the other hand, a Music Production Service like Eleven:11 Music (based in Melbourne and Adelaide) is a professional service that specialises in writing/composing, producing, arranging, and mixing music, as well as instrument recording, albeit on a smaller scale. Benefits of the music production service include:
access to a larger selection of instruments and sounds, allowing artists to create more complex and unique music.
offering professional post-production services, such as mastering and sound design, to ensure that the final product is of the highest quality.
providing artists with the ability to customise their music to fit their exact vision, in any number of genres.
Recording Studio Vs Music Production Service
Now that we’ve gone over the respective benefits of both recording studios and music production services, let’s talk about the differences. The biggest difference between the two:
Music production services centre on the end-to-end creation of a a music piece, from the initial writing and composition and demoing (pre-production), through to producing and post-production editing, processing and mixing. They are their to guide the artist through the entire process from beginning to ending.
Recording studio almost exclusively focuses on the capturing the audio, although some engineers do offer production advice while recording, as well as mixing services.
Recording studios provide access to professional-grade equipment and experienced audio engineers, while
Music production services provide access to a wider range of instruments and sounds, as well as professional post-production services.
Music Production Services the personnel are often multi-faceted across a number disciplines across music-making process. As well as being producers and engineers, they’re also composers and song-writers, as well as being musicians and singers.
While many recording studios have experienced engineers who can offer producing or arranging advice during a recording session, it is not their primary function. They often expect that the artist or band will be sufficiently rehearsed to deliver performance, with their primary input relating to how the sound is being captured.
Rates and Fees between Recording Studios and Music Production Services also differ in how they charge. Recording Studios will usually have half-day, and whole day, or multiple-day rates, where as music production services base their fee on the number of songs, and how much work maybe involved in delivering the artist/band’s artistic vision. In either case, the more days or songs you choose to record, generally the better the rate is as economies of scale can be achieved when delivering their respective services (eg set up time, mix templates and sounds can be used across multiple songs to get a coherent aesthetic).
NB: There is no standard rate regardless of the service you choose. Rates are generally determined based on a demand for services, driven by several factors, some that include: their experience, artists credits, recognition and awards, chart success, connections with record labels or music publishing houses, the quality of the recording equipment, size of the studio etc.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to choosing between a recording studio and music production service, it really depends on your specific needs. If you’re looking to only record audio (eg if you’re and indie rock band wanting to capture a raw basic sound) a recording studio is the way to go. However, if you’re looking for greater guidance through music making process, to explore the possibilities of your artistry and create a more complex and unique sound, then a music production service may be the better option.
Whether it is a recording studio or music production, they all have their own unique approach and philosophies about how they interact with the artists and bands to deliver their services. Its important to get in touch with several services, to get a feel for how they go about it. Its important to have your questions prepared, and ensure you check out their portfolio of work to verify they have the ability to deliver what they promise!
About the Author
Mark Fogliano is an experienced Music Producer, Songwriter, Composer ,Pianist for the Adelaide / Melbourne based music production company Eleven:11 Music Productions.
Eleven:11 Music Productions fulfils a range of musical needs - from song development, artist development, arranging, orchestration and music programming, to vocal and song production, recording, post-production, audio mixing and project management.